Enzyme integrated silicate-Pt nanoparticle architecture: a versatile biosensing platform

Sensitive and non-invasive cholesterol determination in saliva via optimization of enzyme loading and platinum nano-cluster composition

To provide rapid and accurate determination of cholesterol, we have developed a simple, disposable, enzyme-based salivary cholesterol biosensor.

Nanomaterial-based biosensors for measurement of lipids and lipoproteins towards point-of-care of cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become the primary cause of global deaths and inflicts an enormous healthcare burden on both developed and developing countries. Frequent monitoring of CVD-associated risk factors such as the level of lipids (e.g., triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC)) and lipoproteins (e.g., low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)) can effectively help prevent disease progression and improve clinical outcomes. However, measurement of these risk factors is generally integrated into an automated analyzer, which is prohibitively expensive and highly instrument-dependent for routine testing in primary care settings. As such, a variety of rapid, simple and portable nanomaterial-based biosensors have been developed for measuring the level of lipids (TG and TC) and lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) towards the management of CVD at the point-of-care (POC). In this review, we first summarize traditional methods for measurement of lipids and lipoproteins, and then present the latest advances in developing nanomaterial-based biosensors that can potentially monitor the risk factors of CVD at the POC.

Advances in the design of nanomaterial-based electrochemical affinity and enzymatic biosensors for metabolic biomarkers: A review

This review (with 340 refs) focuses on methods for specific and sensitive detection of metabolites for diagnostic purposes, with particular emphasis on electrochemical nanomaterial-based sensors. It also covers novel candidate metabolites as potential biomarkers for diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, autism spectrum disorder and hepatitis. Following an introduction into the field of metabolic biomarkers, a first major section classifies electrochemical biosensors according to the bioreceptor type (enzymatic, immuno, apta and peptide based sensors). A next section covers applications of nanomaterials in electrochemical biosensing (with subsections on the classification of nanomaterials, electrochemical approaches for signal generation and amplification using nanomaterials, and on nanomaterials as tags). A next large sections treats candidate metabolic biomarkers for diagnosis of diseases (in the context with metabolomics), with subsections on biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, autism spectrum disorder and hepatitis. The Conclusion addresses current challenges and future perspectives. Graphical abstract This review focuses on the recent developments in electrochemical biosensors based on the use of nanomaterials for the detection of metabolic biomarkers. It covers the critical metabolites for some diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, autism spectrum disorder and hepatitis.

Optical Devices Constructed from Ferrocene-Modified Microgels for H2O2 Sensing

Ferrocene-modified poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based microgels were synthesized, characterized, and used to construct optical devices (etalons). The response of the microgels and etalons to H₂O₂ was investigated, and we show that both the microgel diameter and the optical properties of the etalons depend on the solution concentration of H₂O₂ from 0.6 to 35 mM. This behavior is a direct result of the oxidation of ferrocene, which influences the microgel diameter. This was also demonstrated by electrochemical-mediated oxidation/reduction of ferrocene using cyclic voltammetry. We go on to show that these materials could be used to monitor H₂O₂ that is generated from enzymatic reactions. Specifically, we show that the H₂O₂ generated from the oxidation of glucose catalyzed by glucose oxidase could be quantified. Finally, the devices can be reused multiple times via a regeneration process. This investigation illustrates the versatility of the etalon system to detect species of broad relevance and how they could potentially be used to quantify products of biological reactions.

Direct electrochemistry of cholesterol oxidase and biosensing of cholesterol based on PSS/polymeric ionic liquid–graphene nanocomposite

In this work, a new biosensor based on PSS/polymeric ionic liquids–graphene nanocomposite with excellent conductivity, favourable biocompatibility and good film-forming properties was constructed to detect cholesterol.

Ultralow Pt-loading bimetallic nanoflowers: fabrication and sensing applications

Ultralow Pt-loading Au nanoflowers (AuNFs) were synthesized on a glassy carbon electrode surface by the underpotential deposition (UPD) monolayer redox replacement technique, which involves redox replacement of a copper UPD monolayer by PtCl(4)(2-) that can be reduced and deposited simultaneously. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the electrochemical method were utilized to characterize the ultralow Pt-loading AuNFs. Cyclic voltammogram results showed that the ultralow Pt-loading AuNFs exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and the oxidation of glucose in neutral media, and the reaction pathway of glucose oxidation was changed from an intermediate process based on the electrosorption of glucose to a direct oxidation process. From chronoamperometric results, it could be obtained that this prepared biosensor had wide linear ranges and very low detection limits (DLs) for H(2)O(2) (0.025-94.3 μM; DL = 0.006 μM) and glucose (0.0028-8.0 mM; DL = 0.8 μM), which were much better than previous results.

Plasmon-Enhanced Enzymatic Reactions 2:Optimization of Enzyme Activity by Surface Modification of Silver Island Films with Biotin-Poly (Ethylene-glycol)-Amine

Surface modification of silver island films (SIFs) was carried out with Biotin-Poly (Ethylene-glycol)-Amine (BEA), which acts as a cross-linker between the silver surface and horse radish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme for optimum plasmon-enhanced enzymatic activity. SIFs-deposited blank glass slides and SIFs-deposited 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES)-coated glass slides were used as our plasmonic surfaces.In this regard, three different extent of loading of SIFs were also prepared (low, medium and high) on APTES-coated glass slides. Streptavidin-linked HRP enzyme was attached to SIFs-deposited blank glass slides and SIFs-deposited APTES-coated glass slides through the well-known biotin-streptavidin interactions. The characterization of these surfaces was done using optical absorption spectroscopy. The loading of SIFs on glass slides was observed to have significant effect on the efficiency of plasmon-enhanced enzymatic activity, where an enhancement of 200% in the enzymatic activity was observed when compared to our previously used strategies for enzyme immobilization in our preceding work[1]. In addition, SIFs-deposited on APTES-coated glass slides were found to be re-usable for plasmon-enhanced enzymatic reactions unlike SIFs deposited on to blank glass slides.

Facile synthesis of flower like copper oxide and their application to hydrogen peroxide and nitrite sensing

BACKGROUND

The detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitrite ion (NO2-) is of great important in various fields including clinic, food, pharmaceutical and environmental analyses. Compared with many methods that have been developed for the determination of them, the electrochemical detection method has attracted much attention. In recent years, with the development of nanotechnology, many kinds of micro/nano-scale materials have been used in the construction of electrochemical biosensors because of their unique and particular properties. Among these catalysts, copper oxide (CuO), as a well known p-type semiconductor, has gained increasing attention not only for its unique properties but also for its applications in many fields such as gas sensors, photocatalyst and electrochemistry sensors. Continuing our previous investigations on transition-metal oxide including cuprous oxide and α-Fe2O3 modified electrode, in the present paper we examine the electrochemical and electrocatalytical behavior of flower like copper oxide modified glass carbon electrodes (CuO/GCE).

RESULTS

Flower like copper oxide (CuO) composed of many nanoflake was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reaction and characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). CuO modified glass carbon electrode (CuO/GCE) was fabricated and characterized electrochemically. A highly sensitive method for the rapid amperometric detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitrite (NO2-) was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the large specific surface area and inner characteristic of the flower like CuO, the resulting electrode show excellent electrocatalytic reduction for H2O2 and oxidation of NO2-. Its sensitivity, low detection limit, fast response time and simplicity are satisfactory. Furthermore, this synthetic approach can also be applied for the synthesis of other inorganic oxides with improved performances and they can also be extended to construct other micro/nano-structured functional surfaces.

Plasmon-Enhanced Enzymatic Reactions: A Study of Nanoparticle-Enzyme Distance- and Nanoparticle Loading-Dependent Enzymatic Activity

A detailed investigation of the dependence of the efficiency of plasmon-enhanced enzymatic reactions on the distance between silver island films (SIFs) and horse radish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme and on the loading of SIFs on glass surfaces is presented. Three different extent of loading of SIFs on glass slides were used: 1) low, 2) medium and 3) high, which was characterized by using optical absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Streptavidin-linked HRP enzyme was deposited onto SIFs and glass slides by using three different strategies: strategy 1: biotin-avidin protein assay (distance between SIFs and HRP = 4-8 nm), strategy 2: self assembled monolayers (SAMs) (1-5 nm), strategy 3: polymer layer (1-5 nm). The efficiency of enzymatic conversion of O-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (OPD) to a colored product by HRP on SIFs and glass surfaces was assessed by optical absorption spectroscopy. The distance between SIFs and HRP and the extent of loading of SIFs on the glass surfaces were shown to have significant effect on the efficiency of plasmon-enhanced enzymatic reactions. In this regard, up to an %250 increase in enzymatic conversion of OPD was observed from SIFs with high loading using strategy 1. In addition, we have studied the potential of repeated use of SIFs in plasmon-enhanced enzymatic reactions.